(I’ve been exchanging emails with a woman all day. She tells me I should be expecting her call later in the afternoon. I give her my name and direct number so she won’t have to go through the receptionist switchboard.)

Caller: “I’m trying to call [my company], but I keep getting you instead!”

Me: “Oh, this is [my company]. Are you looking for someone else?”

Caller: “I’m looking for [my name]. I thought this was the right number.”

Me: “Ah, that’s me! I’m [name]! How can I help you?”

Caller: “Well, why didn’t you say that? You kept making me think I had the wrong number!”

Me: “I answered the phone with ‘Hello, this is [name]’. I’m sorry if you were confused, but what can I help you with?”

Caller: “That is SO unprofessional! Why didn’t you answer the phone with [company name]?! How is anyone supposed to know they got the right number?”

Me: “Um, because you’re looking for [name] and I said my name was [name], and you called my direct number?”

Caller: “You should still always answer the phone with the company name, no matter what! I was about to hang up on you again and just call [competition]. At least they let you know who you’re calling when they pick up the phone!”

(I work in a market research call center. I carry out all kinds of surveys on behalf of various organizations. On this particular day, we are calling final year undergraduate university students to ask them for some feedback on their university course. Bear in mind this person has spent the past 3 years studying at university.)

Me: “On a scale of 1-10, 10 being very and 1 not at all, how intellectually stimulating would you say your course was?”